Download Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in Marketing

Global Journal of Management and Business Research
Volume 12 Issue 23 Version 1.0 Year 2012
Type: Double Blind Peer Reviewed International Research Journal
Publisher: Global Journals Inc. (USA)
Online ISSN: 2249-4588 & Print ISSN: 0975-5853
Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in Marketing New
Directions and Proposals
By Ahmed Adnan Al-Nuemat
AL-Balqa Applied University
Abstract - The intention of this article is to set up the need of ethics and the postulation of social
responsibility by productions in the marketing region. The objective vary from the assessment of
the current and up-and-coming ethical alarms, the explanation of certain models of real life
exemplifying those apprehensions and the impact they have on individual consumers and the
whole society. The analysis show most of the companies do not follow ethical means such as
tobacco manufacturers; for this, there should be some new set of rules and regulations that must
be followed by the industries for the wellbeing of consumers and society. Thus, there is an urgent
need to follow certain paths that rely on good intentions and ethics to prosper the society and
social values. This article also indicates all those factors that lead towards the unethical
advertisement and manufacturing of different hazardous products.
Keywords : ethics, marketing ethics, emerging ethical issues, new directions and proposals.
GJMBR Classification : JEL Code : M31
Current and Emerging EthicalIssues in Marketing New Directions and Proposals
Strictly as per the compliance and regulations of :
© 2012. Ahmed Adnan Al-Nuemat. This is a research/review paper, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons
Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/), permitting all non-commercial
use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in
Marketing New Directions and Proposals
Keywords : ethics, marketing ethics, emerging ethical
issues, new directions and proposals.
I.
Introduction
I
t is generally established that ethics and social
dependability are becoming more vital within the
businesses’ context and this must be kept in mind by
the company owners while marketing their products and
services. There should be a strict prohibition of health
dangerous products by the government.
Ethics are the decent values and principles that
administer the actions and verdicts of an entity or
cluster.
They give out as teachings on how to take
action correctly and fairly when faced with moral
problems, main thing here is that the consumer should
not be delude respectably the vendors’ rights.
Customers' needs and wants must be look upon as
essential.
This is the main reason that there are
regulations in black and white that should be followed
by all the marketing companies, however these codes
do not cover all the aspects of the marketing but still
they hold good. All the big and renowned companies
should promote their marketers to tackle such codes
and plans or guidelines those dealing with various
marketing techniques ( Houston, 1986:81).1 Many of
them disagree those codes as they do not have official
effect so, they are not essential which in fact is not an
ethical thing because already there are many concepts
Author : Assistant Professor at AL-Balqa Applied University, P.O. Box
69, Amman, 11821 Jordan. E-mail : [email protected]
similar to marketing “the more recent societal
advertising concept praises the need for vendors to
consider the wants and long term wants of both society
and consumers”(Kotler & Armstrong, 2009: 20). 2
So, we must fulfil our social responsibility by
denying the unethical, hazardous and anti-social
marketing of the business in any form. Business
companies should make their marketing in such a way
that both consumer and society does not feel reluctant
and ashamed about this rather there should be a frank
and free environmental and social relationship among
marketers and business companies.
Keeping in mind the things discussed lately, this
article is heading for observation of the current and upand-coming ethical concerns and importance is going
to be given to the reality that marketers are not as
principled as they should be. This is shown with certain
examples from the actual world and an effort of setting
certain guideline and new way will be accomplished.
This attempt will engross a proposal of codes of
ethics of how an ultimate marketing conduct should be.
After having scanned that, more precise guidelines will
be projected concerning certain areas of marketing in
various industries such as direct selling marketing, baby
food children marketing or drug marketing. In all these
fields and aspects of business and pre-cuts marketing
with the advertisement, there should be a proper code
of ethics containing no anti-social or anti human
elements. All the rules should be in agreement with the
various industrial aspects so that no party could go in
loss or unethical ways to get proper marketing.
II.
Theory and Practice
Over the past few years, interest in moral issues
has grown extremely in commerce and especially in the
marketing ground. This has been shown by example;
deceptive advertising, misleading packaging and
questionable selling performs. As an outcome, there
have been a great number of articles, journal, books
and research that have been available. But, only a small
number of them have recommended on approach to
social duty and ethics. They lack an incorporated
approach for building social responsibility and ethics
element of the strategic marketing planning procedure.
Vitell and Grove noticed that as business discipline
marketing is mostly vulnerable to disapproval of ethical
practices (S.J .Vitell & S.J. Grove, 1987:433).3
© 2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)
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Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XXIII Version I
Abstract - The intention of this article is to set up the need of
ethics and the postulation of social responsibility by
productions in the marketing region. The objective vary from
the assessment of the current and up-and-coming ethical
alarms, the explanation of certain models of real life
exemplifying those apprehensions and the impact they have
on individual consumers and the whole society. The analysis
show most of the companies do not follow ethical means such
as tobacco manufacturers; for this, there should be some new
set of rules and regulations that must be followed by the
industries for the wellbeing of consumers and society. Thus,
there is an urgent need to follow certain paths that rely on
good intentions and ethics to prosper the society and social
values. This article also indicates all those factors that lead
towards the unethical advertisement and manufacturing of
different hazardous products.
Year 2012
Ahmed Adnan Al-Nuemat
Year 2012
Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in Marketing New Directions and Proposals
Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XXIII Version I
56
2
Ethics had become an important and specific
part of marketing and a matter of hot discussion in
various fields nowadays. So, the people are trying hard
to keep up their ethical values by keeping the marketing
rules in accord with it. So, all those proposals should be
given legal form that contains ethical rules for strategic
marketing. They put forward that the sub regulations of
marketing (that is; advertising, personal selling, pricing,
marketing research and international marketing) offer
wide opportunities for unethical actions.
On the other hand, in recent years consumer
movement and ecological lobbies that have come into
survival are firmly recognized and monitor unethical
behaviour, and have brought alterations in business
practice and in the rules, which administer how
businesses must function.
Many have willingly responded to the cruel
disapproval received and altered the technique they
perform (M. Brennan ,1991:3).4 However, a huge
number of marketers are not conscious about the moral
sets and even if they are, they do not hold fast to them
and take action in an unsatisfactory manner. So, there
should be the basic aim or educating the marketers
about the ethical rules and social responsibilities in this
aspect.
The majority marketing behaviours have ethical
substance yet they inadvertently put words that may be
cruel and unethical for many people and this may put
them in danger (M.Brennan, 1991:5).5
Ethical conflicts in marketing can mainly arise in
two contexts; firstly the difference between the needs of
company, industry, and society. Secondly, the conflict
arises when the interest of individual and organization
vary (L.England, 1998).6 Like for example the first case
applies to the car manufacturing companies that is
dangerous for environment but at the same time owning
a car is necessity. However, this impacts the oil price
and environment but yet manufacturing of cars cannot
be stopped because 70% of the households own cars.
Similarly, the companies that produce cigarettes have
adverse affects on society but yet the produce it and
make people addicted to it. Though they put a warning
on the packet but what do you think is that enough?
Even government has no proper answer to it.
Government is silent about this issue because the main
responsibility lies on the society who pays heed to their
social need like a car as a necessary and required
object in their life and they can’t omit cars out of their
lives and cannot work without it. Rather they should
think about the upcoming consequences because of the
cars only and its related issues too (N. Jacques & W.A.
Weeks 1996:17).7
Similarly tobacco companies complete their
possibility only by warning people and do not take any
serious and practical step to help people to get rid of
this dangerous think. Government should also take keen
interest in this aspect.
©2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)
May be people can forbade the companies on
showing the advertisements of cigarettes on TV. . The
other example is for second point, many of the time
people do false marketing of their product at the
expense of truth and that is devastating. People just
wish to make money by selling thing that is rubbish;
once Pat Boone marketed a product for acne treatment
and that cause more pimples (D. Benady, January 19,
1996).8
People sometimes give bribes to the doctors so
that they do not sue them for using their names while
advertising their product by saying that you may consult
a doctor. Also there are pharmacy that sells false
medicines by offering perks and prizes. Like
antipsychotic Zyprexa marketers did by offering
scholarships but that was nothing more than a press
release. Marketers generally attract the people to sell
their product y misusing the drug word and the product
is not medicine in reality. Drug shows “ultimately the
trouble caused and solved on the base of provided
facts” (J.F. Kahn, August 9, 1999).9
Zyprexa (Olanzapine) is prepared in market by
the Lilly pharmaceuticals and their false man of
promotion showed their bad intention of deceiving the
people by selling their product. Their scholarship
program was similarly an ordinary way of attracting and
promoting the product. This unethical attitude
completely destroys the moral values of society. As
people buy the product to cure their disease and the
product is an ordinary object not a medicine to get the
proper treatment (www.schizophrenia.com).10
Most of the time business ethics is conflicted
with two of the philosophies the utilitarianism and
deontology, this was proposed by the philosopher
Beauchamp. Utilitarian deals with the effects of the
action taken so one needs to take positive actions.
While on the other hand deontology the work affected of
the individual. As per Emmanuel Kant the
consequences of an act as the manner in which that
happened is not that much? So, there must be a keen
eye on the ultimate results after promoting the products
so that the improvement or changing can be made
properly. Deontology and utilitarianism should be
properly understood to get the awareness regarding the
marketing process and positive steps should be taken
to meet the needs of the aspect properly (N. Jacques &
W.A Weeks, 1996:19).11
In business, utilitarianism is favoured as it goes
with economic and philosophies of capitalism.
Chartered Institute Marketing put forth a definition that
says; Marketing is the management process
responsible for identifying, anticipating and satisfying
customer requirements profitably. This shows that the
first and the most important thing is the customer
satisfaction and within this the marketing performed is
considered to be ethical and having moral values. the
satisfaction of consumer is the main aim to get the
Those companies who advertise their product in
such a way that there capture the psychology of the
consumer and attract them in such a wonderful way that
they had no option but buying of the product remain
successful if we left beside the ethical values and rules
adopted during marketing by the company. Such
advertising plan not only affects the current promotion of
the product but also its future selling and attitude of
people towards the products.
The best example of this advertising and
promotion is that a candy was introduced that looks as if
a real cigarettes and children hold that candy in a way
that portrays that they have real cigarettes in their hands
and they are grown up. Though, one cannot find them
commonly in market now but the idea behind this is still
here, many of the foods and drinks for children have
given shapes of wine coolers and liquor flasks.
Whereas, the company man said that there were no
such intentions it was just an incident that created such
a shape (H. Walshak, 1996:11).14
Though we know that children are impressed by
the looks of the products too, but yet the consumer was
treated sarcastically and in an insulted manner. One
more example is of the business that got criticism of the
public; the brand was brewer Whitbread that introduced
a new product line including alcohols with a new brand
name. The product was misleading as it was considered
as children drinks as associated with soft drinks but
unfortunately it was not. There was confusion because
the product contains alcoholic drinks but the label
showed that there is nothing inside the bottles but only
the soft drinks and the marketing was also done in the
way that it was soft drink. So the children might attract
and drink the soft drink which is actually nothing but
alcohol only. This confusion was made because of the
label and marketing of the alcoholic drink in the form of
soft drinks by the company marketers (D. Bendy,
January19, 1996).15
This issue of advertising and promotion is not
limited to a certain age but to all. It was much in
propaganda that just to make money the ethical
standards are not taken into considerations. Recently
body shop was in propaganda John Entine said that
"The Body shop is sleazy and bullying, and hides behind
a veneer and manipulative propaganda. They are
nothing more than a group of thugs" (J. Entine, August
29, 2001).16 as they use no natural products but
petrochemicals and Anita Roddick the owner claimed
that it is just a preservative. This bring out the reality that
body shop was deceiving the people by selling
petrochemicals in form of natural preservatives. But the
main deceive they give is not shoeing the name or
telling the consumer about the petro chemicals present
in their products. Companies should pay a heed to the
moral values to improve their ethical code of conduct.
David Brook, the employee in environmental department
of body shop said that the company never realized the
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required results whereas which product dissatisfy the
consumer must be improved properly so that its perfect
working and good results make people happy.
On the contrary, Deontology id was favoured by
people those are marketing critical as a way of
justification for their attacks. In a nut shell, deontology is
said to have individual concern and the utilitarianism is
said to have welfare for the whole society. Let’s take an
example of deontology that is set by Nestle; they started
a campaign that focused the people in third world
country. In South Africa they targeted the infants that
were infected with HIV virus. They forced mothers to
stop feeding their children their milk and feed them with
the bottle milk so to avoid HIV virus they introduced
formula milk powder that they said when mixed with
water can destroy the infection due to the acidity it has
in it. But the point here is that in third world countries
people do not find clean water to drink all they have is
contaminated water that is of no use to them (J. Sparks,
April 23, 1979:137).12
Moreover, they are propelling mother to stop
breast feeding their children that is nature’s gift for
children and that is free of any infections. But most of
the people that are supporters of Nestle said that it was
individual’s fault. And this is why it is said that
deontology argues in favour of the individual. This brings
out the fact that Nestle attracts the people towards
bottle feeding by showing the favouring and
advantageous factors of the formula milk and they also
educate the people in such a way that breast feeding is
not a good way to feed baby now and also disfigures
the women. So it is better to feed baby with bottles. In
reality mother feed is the best way to feed the baby and
keep them healthy whereas bottle milk in third world
countries is not hygienic and clean way of feeding the
babies in any form.
As stated earlier marketing has many sub
portions and examining all of them is just impossible.
So, few of the categories will be examined to see the
ethics in marketing issue currently. The small illustrations
of the sub categories will clearly show the main problem
regarding this issue and will also define the suggestions
and solutions.
Advertising and promotion is quite a vast part of
marketing that largely targets children. A child specialist
Dr. Allen Kanner said that he has observed that children
are more diverted towards material goods this is the
result of advertising and promotions that companies use
to sell their products and play with human psyche.
Children do get pocket money and they are free to
spend it on their desired product thus by making them
future consumers. A psychologist who specialized in
materialism study Dr. Tim Kassell said that people who
are materialistic are less satisfied and they are not
happy with their life, they are much more into drugs and
alcohol and they tend to contribute less to their
communities ( M.H.Zoll, April 5, 2000).13
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budget for the environmental purposes however; there
were many ideas that they could have applied (National
Public Radio Morning Edition, September 7, 1994).17
This shows that they do not care about the
environmental and recyclable materials. Moreover, she
said that they didn’t give a penny to charity over the first
11 years. Entine said these words: "body shop first
branch in France was opened by me. Whereas they
gathered plastic bottles in Paris and dig them in land"
(J. Entine, August 29, 2001).18 This showed that they
were not properly aware or committed to the
environment healthy conditions and ignored them
directly without knowing that what consequences this
would put on the recycling and the environment friendly
conditions. Therefore, the company owners and workers
should also know and take care about the recycling
material and those dangers that may harm environment.
A Cicero said that we tend to live in a society
where we require mutual cooperation but yet we cannot
find it because at the expense of truth we try to take
advantage by doing unethical things. Though one can
make profit but is certainly not for long run and has no
advantage to us.
Mutual relationship in a society is thus always
strengthened by the mutual action and respect whereas
bad or poor ethical values bring harmful actions the
society. The wrong deed by any person will prove wrong
to him though instantly its looks good (Cicero,
1971:117).19
III.
Impact on Consumer and Society
By the above conduct we see that there are two
main folds that have impact first has direct on consumer
and the second has on society. People think that they
pay high prices because the companies use high
marketing camping for the products. When they see that
product is heavily priced for promotion and advertising
so the excessive price is paid by the consumer though,
in reality consumer is the one paying all the expenses
incurred (P.Kotler & G. Armstrong, 2009:38).20
Some marketers even use deceptive marketing
saying that they offer product on low prices as of
wholesale however, they do not, and on comparison
consumer find a huge price difference just because they
see few of the difference in packaging and labelling of
the product. So, the mode of marketing does affect the
price of the product as the expensive and better the
marketing of a product is the high its price is. So the
consumer and the buyer have been known to be directly
affected by the way of marketing and the expenses
spent on the promotion of the product. Similarly,
packing of the product also effects the directly the price
of the product and the consumer ultimately. The
consumer mind always remain thinking about the fact
that highly price product must be good in result and
working than the low price product but actually this is
not so but marketing shows this fact ultimately.
©2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)
The good marketer always tries to come up with
the marketing trick that the person think product is
important for him and his family. For example, an
encyclopaedia is important for gaining general
knowledge is something that makes a person buys what
he has never thought of. Sometimes the product lack
the things that are claimed this is what a clever and
marketers do, but sometimes before the product can be
improved it lost it place. The general information about
the products and its elements can highly help out the
buyer.
Marketing has changed the people’s nature by
turning their desires and wants into their needs. It has
made people materialistic and has created many
problems for the society. People judge other by their
possessions and not by their nature and behaviour.
Each country has a different culture, values, and norms
but advertisement that sent messages related to sex
power and mater ials goods are changing minds of
people. The unethical way of marketing has polluted our
social values and added a big deal of the poor and
weak moral values and high crimes to our society at all.
The adult marketing style has increased the attention of
people towards the sex and sexual actions whereas
other bad ways of marketing has highly weakened the
good social elements.
One may say that the marketing effect on the
people is exaggerated because as a matter of fact
people make up their mind and purchase what they
want to and that does not rely on the advertisement but
also on the quality of the product this can be proved by
the fact that most of the new products still enjoy the
edge over the others just because they give what they
promise to. Advertisement of the product is not the key
to success but the perfect working and excellent result
is the main thing which brings about the high demand of
the product and buyers demand the product again and
again happily.
Some of the people think that the business has
created this issue and the two main reasons that are;
consumerism and environmentalism, consumerism is
said to have concerns with the needs and wants of
consumer while the environmentalism is related to the
effects that the marketing has on environment (P.Kotler
& G. Armstrong, 2009:51).21
They are not against it but want marketers to
work in an ethical and moral full way. The main attention
is towards the mutual relationship and balance among
the marketers and the environment so that no loss could
be found in both the fields rather a healthy and proper
relationship could be brought about.
IV.
New Directions and Proposals
After going through all the issues and concerns
that exist in the marketing field today, we need to come
up with some rules and regulations that all the
companies must follow. AMA (American Marketing
This means that if there is any sort of complain
then the company must find that out and that must be
resolved
so that the customer is pleased and satisfied.
So,
the
awareness among the marketers could be
developed
properly so that their ethical values and their
moral responsibilities should be developed in the way
which could bring out the good relationship and the
good ways to get the desired results and the wanted
outcome accordingly. This would properly take into
account the marketers as they bear the backbone place
in this field and their all the responsibilities would be
properly managed (Direct Selling Association, 2012).22
The AMA has also asked marketers to be
honest while making a deal so that no one is harmed or
hurt, all the clients, suppliers, vendors, distributors and
the society must be pleased with the marketer. They
must avoid conflicts and they should price the product
according to the quality, value, quantity, and the
availability of that product.
Those participating in the marketing exchange
process are expecting that those product or services
that are offered are safe, alleging that they were
deceptive as to communicating a product but they have
done it in good faith. This should not discharge them
from taking the responsibility of their actions, so they
must be aware that no such kind of misleading
marketing is done otherwise the Trade Descriptions Act
takes that into consideration (F.D.Rose,2010:93).23
Moreover, there must be a clear price and no
hidden cost or something like that. Every single area
regarding the marketing of the product should follow the
specific rules and regulations so that a proper method
of marketing gets active into form and there should be a
non-violent and good way to promote the products. Any
confusion about the ingredients, price and the form of
the products could be removed so that the proper
relationship and development of mutual interest should
be actively got.
There should be no influence on the customer
imposed by marketer in distribution sector, and no
manipulation should be there in the product availability.
Development and managerial activities must disclose all
the materials that are used and that in any way affect the
performance. Risks, side effects and disadvantages of
the products should be mentioned so that people may
not get deceived by buying the unwanted product and
get at the wits end about this style of marketing which
hide the dangerous aspect of product.
Any sort of additional cost and charges must be
clearly shown with the price so that consumer is not
misled. And the research department must also
represent it clearly without omitting anything. So that the
buyer should not feel reluctant or confused regarding
the increased or changed price and quality of the
product in case of the alternative price tags.
If there is any sort of unethical activity going on
around marketer must control it so that it has a good
effect on the overall organization. The codes set by AMA
must be followed if not then there is legal action for that
and it may suspend the company that can affect the
image. Some people think that those codes must be
mandatory so that they are more willingly adopted.
However, there must be rules keeping in mind
that marketers are human beings and therefore as
marketers are business people it could be useful those
certain guidelines should be drawn concerning business
people. Business requirements and needs should be
kept in mind while making the marketing and ethical
rules and regulations so that the markets could feel free
and easy to follow these guidelines practically. This will
suppress the violent attitude of people and bring the
good values too.
Company must be responsible for corporate
conscience (L.B.Chonko & S.D. Hunt,1985:339).24 There
must be some new rules for modern business people for
ethics (W. L.Weis, 1986:243).25 Hosmer proposed that
there should be normative principles that are based on
utilitarianism which means that might is right (L.T.
Hosemer, 1988:9).26 Meanwhile the companies go for
the non-deceptive attitude they will be having an ethical
basis for marketing this is also argued that humanistic
way can expose people to alternative ways by involving
them in that instead of taking them out of it like
departure from conventional approaches to more ethical
ones. The companies have a high and serious
responsibility on their shoulders to educate and aware
people and advertise or do the marketing of their
product in a proper social and ethical ways so that their
product may not become the source of danger for any
kind of people whether young or old. there should be a
high appreciation to their marketers and companies that
prepare and bring out the alternative and good ways to
promote their products instead of carrying out wrong
and bad means to increase the promotion of their
products in the society. This healthy attitude of ethical
marketing will bring the respect in the mutual
relationship of consumer and the marketing companies
(E.C. Hirschman, 1986:237).27
All the above stated things are considered to be
general ethical rules; however, there must be rules for
certain areas like baby food marketing, direct selling,
and that of the pharmaceuticals industries. As all the
companies have different understandings of ethics and
it meanings for others. So, a proper rule and regulatory
ministry would held the issue of making such factors
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Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XXIII Version I
Association)
has set some of the rules and that the
marketer should be responsible for the actions he takes
and the reactions and effects of that. He must work in a
way that the individual, society, and environment all are
satisfied; this means that marketer has;
x To act in a way that does not harm anyone.
x To follow the rules and regulations.
x To get proper training.
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and rules that would be acceptable to all kind of
industries simultaneously without creating hurdles for
any specific industry.
Companies should not try to promote products
in public especially when it comes to baby product.
Going to hospitals or maternity wards for promoting
products and giving presents to health worker is not
ethical and that mislead them. This however, is
forbidden but some of the marketers do so and create a
direct connection between the mothers and company.
The info given on the product must be about the product
not about creating a need for the product. Also avoid
using baby images on the baby milk products. These
precautions should be adopted because it will promote
the healthy and proper adopting and buying of the
products instead of the more adorned, labelled or
pressurized selling of the product. Similarly, the
marketing should also be in the way that must aware the
people instead of attracting them to buy the product
(WHA 34.22, 1981).28
A marketer should keep in mind that what
information is to be disclosed in front of whom. If the
product is for adults then make sure that it is not
promoted in front of children as this is unethical and not
a suitable way of promoting a product. The information
to the marketer should be given about the thing that is
related to him as of promotion, sale, and delivery of
goods they should try to gather info for children too
(M.H.Zoll, April 5, 2000).29 This means that the proper
products should be offered and presented to proper
age group people so that one might not get confused or
adopt any unwanted, illegal or useless product
according to his age.
One more ethical conduct set by the DMA
(Direct Marketing Association) is that when direct selling
product there must be clear offers for the consumer, the
price, additional cost, any terms conditions all should be
stated clearly. The products that have warranties and
guarantees must be stated clearly and the name of the
company and brand should be told. The privacy of the
customer should be kept and they should be treated in
a convenient manner. Do not ask consumers to cancel
any deal with other company if they wish to deal with
you too. If there is a trial version of your product so
make sure it the authentic one. Direct marketing and
selling of objects needs the proper outcome and
shoeing of all the factors about the products and this
also vanish the confusions or dangers regarding the
products instead there is a clean and fine dealing
among the consumer and seller and a good ethical
environment is developed that bring out a healthy and
happy society with all the good moral values.
Salespersons have also a high responsibility of fir
dealing so that they might not get trapped or deceive
any other person or company only for financial
advantages (DSA, 2012).30
©2012 Global Journals Inc. (US)
Information must be accurate and therefore not
misleading some companies play with human psyche
such as pharmaceuticals by advertising drugs and
claiming that it can make you live a healthy life style.
This is unethical as the use of drug is injurious to health
and asking a doctor for taking a drug can create a
problem as well.
These drugs must be advertised clearly means
the effects should be illustrated and the salesman must
not take the advantage of consumer’s limited
knowledge and should make everything clear to him
before selling that drug. If companies act according to
the above rules then they are said to be on the right
track that is ethical (J.P. Kahn, August 9, 1999).31
V.
Conclusion
Generally, ethical issues arise due to the
difference between the individual and company’s values
and norms. When the products are not disclosed
properly then they are unethically marketing their
product. Sometimes the competition also makes you
and propels you to go for unethical means when you
see you competitor doing so like false publicity, using
wrong statistics, biased situations, etc. these situations
also lead you to unethical marketing and related issues.
So, the marketers should always shoe the side effects,
usage and the components of the products so that
people may not get deceived or buy a wrong product
only because of the hiding of certain factors. This will
also shoe the good ethics of marketers and society.
The only way these unethical behaviours can be
stopped is by enforcing them properly and then by
making sure that everyone follows it. And if someone
does not then the proper actions must be taken against
them for breaching the codes of conduct. Moreover, the
company can offer rewards for those who act in the way
that is desired and this can help boost the morale of the
employees. The moral values are required in this regard
to strengthen the social values and ultimately the ethical
code of conduct. If moral values of the society are weak
then there will be no ethic and strong moral values will
strengthen the ethics (A.Macintyre, 2007:3).32
Now, here comes the main point that is
companies cannot control all around them from
consumers to the employees and therefore they should
allow them to set a target that is to satisfy the customers
but being in the limits, and if those limits are not
followed then there are some actions against them.
Also, there must be a positive competition to get new
and good products. Healthy competition brings out
things that flourish the market and makes customer
happy by gaining the long term satisfaction. But the
awareness should be given to the buyer so that they can
help out themselves and better judge the quality and
quantity about the products. This can also help the
people to satisfy their requirements and needs to get the
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Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XXIII Version I
required results and perfect working (P.Kotler & G.
Armstrong, 2009:61).33
The two common terms marketing ethics and
social responsibility are used interchangeably and they
must be clearly understood so to remove any sort of
confusion.
Marketing ethics means that there should be a
clear understanding of what is right and what is wrong
means what should be done and what should not. On
the other hand, social responsibility means that if there
is any sort of harmful affects on the society then they
must be removed so to get the positive behaviour.
Companies that work on both are the one that are seen
as working for the whole society’s well-being.
Year 2012
Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in Marketing New Directions and Proposals
Year 2012
Current and Emerging Ethical Issues in Marketing New Directions and Proposals
Global Journal of Management and Business Research Volume XII Issue XXIII Version I
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